STATEMENT BY UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION PRESIDENT TIMOTHY E. WIRTH ON THE RELEASE OF THE UNITED NATIONS OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM REPORT
WASHINGTON, D.C. – “Mr. Volcker’s interim report on the Oil-For-Food Program will bring us a step closer to identifying the problems in the program and will give the UN a blueprint to fix them. The Secretary-General took responsibility to ensure the investigation is independent, thorough and public. The Secretary-General has also stated he will hold any wrong-doers fully accountable, and to fix the problems identified by Mr. Volcker as quickly as possible. And, he already has begun to make the necessary changes. As 70 Nobel Laureates recently stated, ‘Kofi Annan has never failed to take a critical look at the UN to examine its weaknesses and recommended improvements.'”